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BIZARRE: 2 - What They Never Told You

“With that said, you all can stop asking me if I am buying it now. Muchas gracias”: Joe Bonamassa has his say on the future of Norman’s Rare Guitars

Once described as a "good fit" for the store, Bonamassa says he is more than happy to see Norman Harris's vintage guitar institution join the Carter Vintage Guitars family

Guitar World

“I am extremely excited to see my Uncle Norm enter into this new chapter in his life and career”: Joe Bonamassa gives his blessing as Norman Harris sells Norman’s Rare Guitars and says the future of his iconic LA store has been secured

TNAG Global, which owns Carter Vintage Guitars, is the buyer, and under CEO Ben Montague, it promises to preserve the soul and grow the business of one of the world's most-loved guitar stores

MusicRadar

“It's the most iconic guitar shop in the world, and we are honored to help extend its story into the future”: Norman’s Rare Guitars acquired

The acquisition includes the 1,000+ guitars currently housed at the store, along with proprietor Norman Harris’ personal and private collection

Guitar World

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“I’d say, ‘Man, that guitar riff sounded killer.’ He’d respond, ‘Well, I’m sure I’ll mess it up next time’”: John Mayer, Trey Anastasio and Steve Vai lead tributes to Bob Weir

His 60-year career, and the “mystical” man behind the music, have been remembered by a score of guitar greats

Guitar World

“I could never play a Strat – with Stevie Ray Vaughan being my first influence, every time I play one it’s like I’m 13 again, hacking through Pride And Joy”: Joanne Shaw Taylor on how the blues helped her find her voice, and why she'll always choose Teles

Having embarked on a journey from classical guitar to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert Collins, Taylor is determined to keep the blues alive... until she can open that dog shelter

Guitar World

"I probably should have retired years ago but I really love keeping the band alive": Ten Years After are down to one original member but there's still gas in the tank

One of the great British blues-rock bands of the 60s and 70s, Ten Years After are keeping the blues flag flying

Louder

“A Tube Screamer is a Tube Screamer. It’s one of the great cons of the guitar industry. They got these dirt boxes right the first time!” Why Jared James Nichols stopped obsessing over gear – and honed in on his playing instead

Freedom, says Nichols, is the knowledge you can pick up anyone's guitar and sound like you, and now the Nashville-based Les Paul wrangler is finding that freedom in songwriting

Guitar World

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“I think they sound in between a Fender and a Gibson”: Blues ace Larry McCray names the unsung guitar brand that convinced him to switch after a life of playing Gibsons

McCray says this brand is the perfect middle ground between two of the industry's big guns

Guitar World

Classic Rock's Tracks Of The Week: December 15, 2025

Eight songs you need to hear right now, from Starbenders, DeWolff, Stanley Simmons and more

Louder

“When people ask, ‘Why do you need so many?’ They don’t get what it is to be a collector. You have the ability to preserve things”: Joe Bonamassa on why he takes gear collecting so seriously

His pocket money is perennially spent on acquiring vintage gear, and he won’t change the habit of a lifetime any time soon

Guitar World

“I don’t need tons of gain on my guitar because everyone else is distorted!” Joe Bonamassa reveals the secret to writing heavy riffs – and his methods might surprise you

Step back from the overdrive pedal, dial the gain back, and that extra clarity could well sound heavier in a band mix

Guitar World

“There is no greater story of triumph than that of B.B. King. I’m humbled to help bring it to life”: A B.B. King biopic is on the way – and it will chronicle the blues legend’s life, legacy and Lucille

The film will chart B.B. King’s rise from extreme poverty to global stardom – and his life-long partnership with his iconic ES-355 will be at the heart of it all

Guitar World

“Words fail me in describing his impact on music”: Steve Cropper, 1941-2025 – the guitar world pays tribute

The influential soul guitar legend has passed away at the age of 84, with Joe Bonamassa, Tyler Bryant, Dave Mason, Mick Fleetwood and more sharing tributes

Guitar World

“Time to add a 5th JHS pedal to my rig? With 25% off this just-launched distortion, it’s hard to resist”: All the guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – including the unmissable Black Friday gear discounts I’m eyeing up

The Kilt celebrates its 10th birthday, Fractal goes up against IK Multimedia and Line 6, and Tom DeLonge reaches for the stars (literally)

Guitar World

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“My right ear pretty much lost 80 percent of its high end”: Joe Bonamassa reveals temporary hearing loss diagnosis following an incident at one of his recent shows

The condition, Acute Acoustic Trauma (AAT), is characterized by sudden hearing loss due to an injury to the ear drum

Guitar World

“I have a 1968 Plexi and Leslie West’s old Sunn amp, which Joe Bonamassa gave me”: Jared James Nichols owns a few vintage amp gems – but here’s why he still prefers Blackstars

Nichols and Blackstar have collaborated on a handful of signature amps over the years

MusicRadar

“I said, ‘Andy, I can you build me an amp? I’ll send you a speaker…’ he built me one of these ODS models, and, to be honest with you, it blew me away”: Joe Bonamassa teams up with Fuchs Audio for a signature amp offering Dumble tone without the price

This 100-watt 1x12 combo has heaps of EQ options, top-shelf digital reverb, a series/parallel effects loop and signature Celestion speaker – all without the six-figure vintage price tag

Guitar World

“The worst-kept secret in the amp world”: Joe Bonamassa’s new signature combo has landed – and it’s been built by a renowned disciple of Howard Dumble

The Fuchs JB-ODS was originally conceived as a go-to gigging combo for small club shows – but it developed into something more

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Guitar World

“I’ve never been a fan of slogging it out at auction. There are exceptions, though...” Joe Bonamassa says Gary Moore’s playing changed his life – now he’s just bought a piece of his guitar hero’s gear at auction

Bonamassa had banned himself from expensive big amp purchases in June, but this proved too tempting to pass up

Guitar World

“You only get one shot to do this correctly. And I think we nailed it”: Joe Bonamassa once called Eric Clapton his favorite guitar player of all time. Now, the two blues greats are set to collaborate on a B.B. King classic

Bonamassa's star-studded tribute project to B.B. King – B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100 – is set to be released in February, with collaborators including Buddy Guy, Eric Gales, Larkin Poe and Jimmie Vaughan

Guitar World

“Guitars are total peacocks. It’s an extension of the performance”: Inspired by Brian May and Prince, The Rocket might be 2025’s wildest guitar build – NYC firebrand Des Rocs explains why it’s the “opposite of the Joe Bonamassa complex”

Built by Prague luthier Aviator, The Rocket features a magnetic scratchplate for infinite customization – but it’s much more than a fashion piece

Guitar World

“Taking Klons on the road isn’t fun. It is an easy nick”: Jared James Nichols was gifted a Klon Centaur by Joe Bonamassa – here’s how he kept it safe on the road

Nichols went from nearly having his borrowed Klon stolen to being given one of his own by the blues guitar icon

Guitar World

“I started crying. I never thought in these 42 years I’d see my work on the stage. I’m going, ‘Damn it, Joe!’” Maricela Juarez is a legend in the pickup game – and she was given the ultimate shoutout by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith

The Seymour Duncan Custom Shop manager says working with Peter Frampton was her greatest achievement – until this touching moment

Guitar World

“I lost my mojo for aminute, but they propped me back up”: He was one of the great blues guitar talents of the ’90s, then the gigs dried up. Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith helped him get his game face back on

Blues guitar loves a comeback story and they don't get much better than the return of Larry McCray, who found his sound again via the hottest blues production duo in the control room

Louder

"He made his point known in a way that scared this guy half to death": Eric Gales' new album pays tribute to the man whose music he grew up with - his brother

Blues star Eric Gales on his record for his late brother, cutting heads with Joe Bonamassa and surviving time behind bars

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